The Community
Environmental Council
is hosting their 41st annual
Earth Day Festival this
weekend in downtown Santa
Barbara’s Alameda Park.
The organization will
host the event this Saturday
and Sunday to promote
the community’s use of
sustainable living and
alternative energy sources.
The fair will include a beer
garden, food vendors, live
music and demonstrations of
new eco-friendly technology.
According to CEC
Assistant Director Sigrid
Wright, the focus of this
year’s festival emphasizes the
individual’s role in finding
sustainable energy sources.
“The theme this year is
‘powered by the people,’”
Wright said. “In light of
the crisis in Japan and the
oil spill, we are trying to
emphasize … how we can
make a real move away from
nonrenewable fuels.”
The council discourages
participants from driving
vehicles to the event and will
provide a bicycle valet for
cyclists. The festival’s Bike
World expo, hosted by Santa
Barbara Bicycle Coalition
Director Edward France, will
promote a series of cycling
events in Santa Barbara
throughout May.
“People power comes down
to people creating their own
transportation,” France said.
“In terms of the theme [of
this year’s festival], the bike is
right on.”
France said the event will
provide 1,000 bike parking
spaces and presentations from
several local bike shops.
The fair will also include
booths educating attendees
about solar power and reducing
home energy output.
According to Karen
Feeney, Allen Associates
green resources manager, the
energy reduction techniques
are cost-effective.
“This is a win-win for both
the consumer and the planet,”
Feeney said. “People benefit
from lower bills and reduce
the impact on the planet at
the same time.”
Feeney said she will
set up a power house — a
structure capable of producing
its own energy needs — to
demonstrate ways to reduce
household energy use.
The Earth Day Theater
will also host the third annual
Green Shorts Film Festival. A
full schedule of performances
and artists is available online
at www.sbearthday.org.
The CEC is seeking
volunteers to help with setup,
supervision and clean-up
between April 15 and April
17. To sign up for volunteer
times, visit www.sbearthday.
org/volunteers.
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